An annual youth hockey tournament that welcomes hundreds of teams and thousands of spectators to Penticton will have a "significant economic impact" on the city for the next two weeks.

That's according to the Penticton & Wine Country Chamber of Commerce, which says the Canadian Sport School Hockey League (CSSHL) Western Championships will provide a boost to the local hospitality and tourism sectors from March 2 to 16.

"Over the course of the tournament, hotels, restaurants, downtown retail outlets, and attractions will see a surge in activity as players and spectators contribute to Penticton鈥檚 tourism, hospitality, and retail industries," reads a joint press release from the chamber, Travel Penticton and Downtown Penticton Business Improvement Association.

"The event not only showcases Penticton as a premier sports destination but also reinforces the importance of sports tourism to the local economy."

The tournament features players aged 13 to 18 on teams from B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Washington and Idaho.

Data released after last year's tournament suggested around 86 per cent of spectators travelled more than 320 kilometres to attend the event and stayed in the city for an average of five nights.

鈥淭his weekend, licence plates from all of these different provinces and states are going to be arriving in our beautiful city, and with that comes millions of dollars in economic activity over a two-week period during what is traditionally a slower time of the year,鈥� said Chelsea Terry, marketing manager at Travel Penticton. 鈥淲e know that the CSSHL truly appreciates how Penticton welcomes these athletes and their families with open arms.鈥�

After the 2023 edition of the tournament, the City of Penticton and CSSHL agreed to a five-year, $500,000 deal to keep the event in the Okanagan. There is an additional five-year extension clause after the 2029 edition of the tournament.

When the deal was made official, city officials estimated the event would bring a total of $40 million over the course of the contract.

"The success of major sporting events like the CSSHL Championships really illustrates the importance of maintaining strong partnerships between the city, tourism operators, businesses, and event organizers,鈥� said Penticton Chamber of Commerce president Jordan Knox.

鈥淓nsuring a welcoming and positive experience for all visitors will only help to encourage future events of this calibre to choose Penticton as their host city, and even as a vacation destination later in the year.鈥� 

A total of 104 teams will play in the tournament, including ones from the Penticton-based Okanagan Hockey Academy.

On Sunday, March 2, the event begins with U15 action, the first of 192 games scheduled.

"We are excited to put on a first-class event that highlights the very best in education-based hockey, while providing a great championship atmosphere and experience for our member programs to conclude their seasons," said Kevin Goodwin, the CSSHL's chief operating officer.